Sustainability in Interior Design
Sustainable interior design is a growing interest in the commercial, retail, and home design industry. Clients are beginning to understand the long term impact of using materials that aren't responsibly sourced. There can even be an added bonus of cost-effectiveness when using eco-friendly, sustainable materials. Below we'll share some tips for sustainability in interior design so that you can add durability to style.
What is sustainability in interior design?
Sustainability in interior design, quite simply, means making eco-conscious choices as often as you can within your project. You don't have to scrap the entire design to accommodate green friendly materials and practices. By being aware of potentially harmful products, ecological impacts, and energy efficiency, you can make small changes that can have a lasting impact in protecting our earth. Below are some concepts to keep in mind when building your home, designing your business, or making furniture selections.
Reduce waste where you can
Construction and Demolition produce an enormous amount of waste that ends up in a landfill. Aiming to reduce waste wherever possible is a positive step in the right direction for sustainability. Using recycled or reclaimed materials helps to lower your environmental impact and can add a unique style to your space. A deeper dive into this topic will show various eco-friendly materials that you can use in place of some more wasteful options. Materials like bamboo, natural stone, recycled glass, reclaimed structures like doors and windows, and utilizing excess materials like pallets can have a lasting impact.
Energy efficient options lower long term costs
Incorporating various energy-efficient options wherever possible can reduce emissions. They can also lower energy costs both in the short and long term. Using LED light bulbs can use up to 75% less energy. These also last longer than most traditional bulbs. Installing dimmers and motion sensors can also reduce energy waste. Utilizing natural light with bigger windows or utilizing a skylight can reduce the need for having excess lights on during the day.
Energy-efficient insulation can reduce heating and air conditioning costs by helping to keep heat or cold air inside without needing to run your heat or air conditioning units.
Choosing Energy Star Appliances like refrigerators help to reduce energy consumption and lower your carbon footprint without sacrificing quality.
Conserve Water
There are several types of environmentally mindful faucets, showerheads, and toilets that you can install for both your home and your business. These fixtures are designed to use a low-flow of water that tends to use up to 50% less water than standard models. With eco-friendly toilets, the average home can save over 10,000 gallons of water per year. Low-flow fixtures can add a classic design while also checking the box for cost-effectiveness.
Locally sourced materials
Locally sourced materials play a big role in sustainability for interior design. By choosing to shop at a local business, you're cutting down on the carbon emissions that are used in long distance shipments. Many local companies will use less harmful chemicals overall than industrial manufacturers. Some local contractors will list their excess or leftover materials for re-sell on social media websites. These are high-quality materials that can be put to use rather than being wasted.
Small choices can lead to big impact
It can seem overwhelming when you first begin to think about sustainability. A lot of people want to take on the world and radically change the way they view their relationship as a consumer. Most industries have evolving needs, and lowering construction waste in interior design is a growing area of focus. If you're having a hard time, you can look into obtaining a green building certification.
The single most effective way to reduce environmental impact and promote eco-friendly spaces is to make one, small, and sustainable choice at a time. By choosing bamboo or reclaimed wood over traditional lumber where you can, or using recycled windows, you're making a commitment. Considering the lifespan of materials can reduce things like single-use plastics. Choosing VOC-free paints, natural materials, sustainable fabrics, and recycled metal can help to reduce your carbon footprint.
Choosing eco-friendly materials that are free from added chemicals can help protect your indoor air quality. Using natural materials like natural stone instead of pre-fabricated synthetic alternatives can reduce chemicals released indoors. Operable windows that allow fresh air to circulate can also help reduce the build-up of harmful chemicals that can contaminate the air and add cross-ventilation when designed and installed properly.
Biodegradable materials such as bamboo, cork, hemp, linoleum, wool, and reclaimed wood can align with your environmental goals because they're renewable resources that are able to eventually decompose naturally. These materials are all natural. They require minimal to no chemical additives to be created or utilized in your space. A great tip is to use materials that can be found in nature instead of created in a lab. Since these materials can decompose naturally in their own lifespan, they reduce waste and pollution, making them the perfect choices for sustainable building materials. There's also various local-impact that can be felt directly, as that means less waste gets added to landfills. Some of these materials can also be composted eventually into nutrient-rich compost.
Energy-efficient appliances are another step towards environmental sustainability in interior design. By lowering the amount of power that each appliance uses, you're reducing carbon emissions. Solar energy is another efficient way to power your home and can come with tax incentives depending on where you live while lowering your ecological footprint and your energy costs each month. Energy-efficient lighting will also help to lower your utility bills and will be another step towards having an energy-efficient house or environmentally conscious business. These options can directly lower your energy consumption.
Sustainability is crucial in the field of interior design. Choosing environmentally-friendly materials where you can will make a lasting impact the more you do so. More and more supply companies are choosing to offer green alternatives to some of the more wasteful options. By keeping ecological and social sustainability in mind when designing your home or business, you're helping to make a beautiful tomorrow, today. Eco-friendly designs will lead enchanced sustainability in interior design.
Contact us to add sustainability to your next design.
Comments